16, 16-difluoro-17alpha-halogenoethinyl androstanes



United States Patent 3,187,023 16,IG-DIFLUORO-flat-HALOGENOETHINYL ANDROSTANES Cecil H. Robinson, Cedar Grove, N..l., assignor to Schering Corporation, Bloomfield, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey No Drawing. Continuation of application Ser. No.

228,741, Oct. 5, 1962. This application Oct. 18,

1962, Ser. No. 231,552

8 Claims. (Cl. 260-3974) This application is a continuation of my copending application, Serial No. 228,741, filed October 5, 1962, now

abandoned.

This invention relates to novel steroids, to methods for their manufacture, and to novel intermediates produced thereby. More particularly, this invention relates to therapeutically valuable steroids of the androstane series having a l7a-halogeno-ethinyl function. Specifically, this invention relates to 17u-halogenoethinyltestosterones, l6, 16-difluoro 17oz; halogenoethinyltestosterones, to derivatives thereof, and to methods for their preparation.

Included among the novel steroids of this invention are 1I a-halogenoethinylandrostanes of the following general formula:

wherein R is a member of the group consisting of hydrogen and an acid radical of a hydrocarbon carboxylic acid containing up to 8 carbon atoms; X is a halogen having an atomic weight greater than 19 and less than 100; and Y is a member of the group consisting of and The acid radicals at (3-17 included in my invention are preferably from lower alkanoic acids such as acetic, propionic, butyri'c, valeric, caproic, enanthic, and the like. Also included are acid radicals of arylcarboxylic acids such as benzoic acid or dibasic acids such as succinic.

There is thus included among the compounds of this invention 17a-halogenoethinylandrostanes such as the following: 17u-chloroethinyltestosterone (17n-chloroethinyl- 4-androstene-l7B-ol-3-one), 16,16-difluoro 170a chloroethinyltestosterone, 17a-bromoethinyltestosterone, and i6, 16-difluoro-17a-bromoethinyltestosterone and the 17-acetate esters thereof.

The 17u-ha1ogenoethinyltestosterones and esters thereof of this invention are physiologically active substances, being valuable as progestational agents, and thus are useful in the treatment of threatened abortion, functional dysmenorrhea and premenstrual tension. These compounds are active via the oral route and are preferably administered orally in tablet forms of 5 mg., mg, and 25 mg. strength. The dosage of the particular l7a-chloroethinyltestosterone derivative used will depend on the nature and severity of the patients illness. 7

The preferred compounds of this invention are those possessing a 17a-chloroethinyl group, i.e.: l7a-chloroethinyl-testosteronc, 16,16 difiuoro-l'lot-chloroethinyltestosterone and the 17-esters thereof.

The novel steroids of this invention are conveniently prepared from 5-androstene-3B-ol-17-one or 16,16-difiuoro "ice 5-androstene-3B-ol-l7-one by halogenoethination of the 17-keto functions utilizing known techniques, followed by conversion of the 3fl-hydroxy-A -moiety thereof to a 3- keto-A -structu1'e via Oppenauer oxidation or microbiological techniques such as that utilizing Flavobacterium dehydrogenans.

Thus, for example, treatment of 5-androstene-3fi-ol-l7- one with lithium chloroacetylide prepared by the action of methyl lithium on 1,2-dichloroethylene yields the desired intermediate, 17m-chloroethinyl-i-androstene-313,17,8- diol which upon reaction with aluminum ispropoxide in toluene utilizing known techniques gives a compound of this invention, 17a-chloroethinyl-4-androstene-175-01-3- one (i.e. 170L-ChlOI'OElIhlHYItEStOStBYOHC).

In a similar manner, the action of lithium brom-oacetylide on 5-androstene3/3-ol-1'7-0ne followed by an Oppenauer or a microbiological oxidation such as with Flavobacterium dehydrogenans yields 17 x-bromoethinyltestosterone of this invention.

The 16,16 -difiuoro-5-androstene-3e-ol-l7-one starting compound is prepared by the action of perchloryl fluoride on l6-hydroxymethylene-S-androstene-3[3-01-17-one. Conversion to 16,16-difluoro 17a chloroethinyltestosterone and to 16,1S-difluoro-17a-bromoethinyltestosterone is then effected via the process of this invention as described hereinabove.

The 17-esters of my novel l7a-halogenotestosterones are prepared by known procedures for preparing tertiary alcohols, such as reaction with an alkanoic acid anhydride in pyridine or benzoyl chloride in pyridine whereby there is obtained the corresponding 17-alkanoate or l7-benzoate respectively. For example, reaction of l'la-chloroethinyltestosterone with warm acetic anhydride and pyridine yields 17u-chloroethinyltestosterone acetate.

The following examples are used for illustrative purpose only, and are not to be construed as limiting, the scope of my invention being defined by the appended claims.

EXAMPLE 1 1711-011loroethinyl-4-andr0stene-17fi-oi-3-one (1 7a-chl0r0ethinylteslosterone) (A) lTa-CHLOROETHINYL-EPANDROSTENE-3BJ7B-DIOL To 560 mg. of lithium metal in anhydrous ether (50 ml.) is added dropwise, over 30 minutes, a solution of methyl iodide (2.5 ml.) in ether (15 ml.). The mixture is then left for one hour at room temperature, and is then cooled to 0i C. A solution of 1,2-dichloroethylene (3.1 ml.) in ether (20 ml.) is then added dropwise, over 15 minutes, and the mixture is stirred at room temperature for 30 minutes. A solution of S-androstene- 3,8-01-17-one (1.15 g.) in tetrahydrofuran (20 ml.) is then added dropwise over 15 minutes, and the mixture is stirred at room temperature for 18 hours. The reaction mixture is then cooled to 60 C. and solid ammonium chloride (5 g.) is added, followed by water. The ether is evaporated, the resulting aqueous suspension is filtered, and the residue on the filter is washed with Water, dried, and chromatographed on Florisil. Elution with hexane-ether (9:1) followed by concentration of the eluates gives a residue which is crystallized from acetone-hexane to give l7a-chloroethinyl-S-androstene-3,8,17/3-diol, M.P. 198-200 C., [041 130 (di oxan).

(B) 17a-CHLOEOETHINYL-d ANDROSTEN-17fi-OL3-ONE A solution of the compound of Example 1(A) (2 g.) in cyclohexanone (30 ml.) and toluene ml.) is distilled until 24 ml. of distillate has been collected. A solution of aluminum isopropoxide (2 g.) in toluene (24 ml.) is added and the mixture is boiled for 1 hour, 30 ml. of distillate being collected during the period. The

mixture is then steam distilled, the aqueous suspension ride-hexane to give 17oc-chloroethinyl-4-androstene-175- ol- 3-one,'M.P..180- -184 C., [04] +2,

MeOH max.

1 Example 2 i 1 6,1 d-a'iflztoro-I 7a-chl0fi0e-th inyll-androstone-J 713-01-3- one (16,16-diflur0-1 7u-chloroethinyltestosterone) (A) 16,16 DIFLUORO--ANDROSTENE-3B-OL-17-ONE To a solution of 5 g. of 16-hydroxymethylene-5-androstene-3B-ol-17-one in 1200 ml. of t-butanol is added 4.25 g. of potassium t-butoxide in 134 ml. of t-butanol. Perchloryl fluoride gas is bubbled through the solution at room temperature for 90 minutes. 500 ml; of water is then added and the mixture Concentrated in vacuo to a volume of about 700 ml. A further 500 ml. of water is added and the jmixture extracted with ether; The ethereal extracts are combined, washed with water; dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated in vac'uo to a residue which is chromatographed on Florisil and eluted with hexane-ether (1:1'). The hexane-ether eluates are combined and concentrated to a residue which is crystallized from acetone-hexane to give 16,16-difluoro-5-androstene 3fi-o-l-l7-one, M.P. 151-154" C., [M +27 (dioxane).

(B) 16,16-DIFLUORO1 7a CHLOROETHINYL-5-ANDRO- STENE-3/3,17 B-DIOL A solution of -16,16-difluoro-5-androstene-3fi-ol-17rone (1.15 g.) in tetrahydrofu-ran (20 ml.) is allowed to react with lithium chloroacetylide exactly in the manner of Example 1(A), and the resultant crude product is chro- 'mat ographed on Florisil.

Elution with hexane-ether (9:1) and concentration of the eluates gives a residue which'is crystallized from acetone-hexane to give 16,16-

' difiuoro-17ot-chloroethi-ny15 -and-rostene-3 {3,17,8-di01.

A solution of the compound of Example 2(B) (2 g.) in cyclohexanone (30 ml.) and toluene (90 ml.) is reacted with isopropoxide in the manner of Example 1(B) and the resultant product isolated in the described manner to 'give 16,16-difluoro-17a-chloroethinyl 4 androstene- 17B-ol-3-one. V

EXAMPLE 3 1 7a-b70m0ethinyl-4-andr0st6n6-1 7fi-ol-3 one V (17a -br0m0ethinyltestosterone) By substituting 1,2-dibromoethylene for 1,2-dich1oroethylene'in the procedure described in Example 1(A) there is obtained 17u-bromoethinyl-5-andr0stene-3,8,17B- diol.

A solution. of 17a-bromoethinyl-5-androstene-3,8,17B- diol (2 g.) in cyclohexane and toluene is reacted with aluminum isopropoxide in a manner similar to the procedure of Example 1(B). Isolation of the resultant product is effected in a manner similar to that described to give 17ot-bromoethinyl-4-androstene-l7fl-ol-3-one.

. 7 EXAMPLE 4 V 1 6,16-diflu0r0-1 7 a-bromoethinyl-4-androstene-1 713-0l-3- one (1 6,16-diflu0r0-1 7 0t-bIOmOEfhinIYItCStOStCI'OHQ) EXAMPLE 5 Preparation of 17-esters A solution of 1 g. of 17u-chloroethinyl-4-androstene 17B-ol-3-one in 10 ml. of pyridine and 10 ml. of acetic anhydride is refluxed under an atmosphere of nitrogen until esterification' is substantially complete as determined by paper chromatography using dinitrophenylhydrazine as the indicating reagent. The reaction mixture is cooled, poured into water and the aqueous, mixture stirred for about 3 hours, then extracted with ether. The ethereal extracts are combined and washed with 5% aqueous sodium bicarbonate'solution and with water. The washed solution is dried 'over'magnesium sulfate, filtered and evaporated'in vacuo to a residue which is crystallized from acetone-hexane to give 17u chloroethinylr4-androstene-17fi-ol-3-one17-acetate. p 5 By utilizing techniques similar to the above-described procedure, the 17oc-halogeno-4-androstenes prepared in Examples 2-4 are converted to their corresponding 17- acetate esters, i.e. 16, 16-difluoro-17a-ch1oroethiny1testosterone acetate, l7a-bromoethinyltestosterone acetate, and 16,16-difluoro-17a-bromoethinyltestosterone acetate, re-

spectively.

Similarly, by substituting other acid anhydrides such as propionic, caproic, succinic or capyrylic for acetic anhydride in the above procedure there'are obtained the corresponding 17-propionate 17-caproate, 17-hemisuccinate and 17-caprylate esters of the aforementioned compounds.

Similarly, by substituting benzoylchloride for acetic anhydride in the general procedure ofrthis example, there is prepared 17a-chloroethinyltestosterone benzoate.

I claim:

1 A compound selected from the group consisting of 17a-halogenoethinyltestosterones of the following formula: a

wherein R'is a member of the group consisting of hydrogen and an acyl radical of a hydrocarbon carboxylic acid having up to 8 'carbon atoms; and X is a member of the group consisting of a halogen having an atomic weight greater than 19 and less than 100. v

2. 16,16-difiuoro-17a-chloroethinyltestosterone. 3516,16 difluoro-17a-chloroethinyltestosterone acetate.

4; 16,1-6-dilluoro 17a bromoethinyltestosterone.

5. In the process of preparing. a compound selected from the group consisting of -17oc-halogenoethinyltestos-' terones of the following formula:

. wherein R is a member of the group consisting of hydroprise gen and an acyl radical of a hydrocarbon carboxylic acid having up to 8 carbon atoms; and X is 'a member of the group consisting of a halogen having an atomic weight greater than 19 and less than thesteps which comreacting 16,16-difluoro-5-androstene-3-ol-17one with a member of the groupconsisting of lithium chloroacetylide and lithium bromoacetylide in an inert, solvent; subjecting the resultant product to the action of alumi- 5 num isopropoxide; said resultant product being a 16,16-di fiuoro1'7a-halogenoethinyl-S-androstene-3fi,17B-diol, said halogenoethinyl being a member of the group consisting of l7a-chloroethinyl and 17a-brornoethinyl.

6. A compound selected from the group consisting of S-androstenes of the following formula:

wherein X is a halogen having an atomic weight greater than 19 and less than 100.

References Cited by the Examiner Burgess et al.: Journ. Chem. Soc. December 1962 pages 49955005.

Robinson et al. Journal Org. Chem. (1965) pages 975980.

LEWES GOTTS, Primary Examiner. 

1. A COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF 17 A-HALOGENOETHINYLTESTOSTERONES OF THE FOLLOWING FORMULA: 